Disability 'mate-crime'

[saintlydamemrsturnip]

hideous

sorry can't read it as I know it will upset me.
horrible

oh no

It's just so appalling that peole would treat another human being like this, let alone exploit someones learning disability to let them get away with the crime.

Social skills classes def need to include elements of 'how friends behave' for teens and young adults

I do think many forget just how vulnerable people with learning disabilities are (seeing them instead as something to be scared of). :(

I can't think of any group of people more vulnerable than adults with learning disabilities.

"... thinking it's all right for people to walk all over them all the time, because that's what's happened to them the whole of their lives."

Disgusting. Isn't this proof that people with learning disabilities are vulnerable and need protection? Shouldn't there be more safe environments where they can live, with protection and support, rather than placing them alongside people who are cruel and exploitative? Has care in the community gone too far? Shouldn't there be special support for people with learning disabilities? Also shouldn't sentences for the animals who did that be far harsher?

dreadful - wish i hadn't read it now

I do think the practices of inclusion have not been thought through properly for people with learning disabilities. The should be a focus on active, integrated and fulfilled lives. Which is entirely different from dumping someone in a random town (or sending them round town with a carer paid the minimum wage come to that) and imagining they're included.

I agree. Can't they provide estates with wardens like they do for the over 55s, where people can live independently with constant back-up and support nearby and where they can participate in the community, but be protected from cruel scumbags who might live next door to them? Is it something to do with this attitude that we saw with the paralympic athletes, where people ignore the fact that disabled people are vulnerable?

Apparently not. Communities of people with learning disabilities are an absolute no-no for inclusion (was talking to someone who is setting up some adult services recently).

It's inclusion at it's most cruel and misguided.

not sure I understand what you mean about "an absolute no-no for inclusion".
I don't know much about it, but it sometimes seems like their definition of inclusion means dumping people and letting them fend for themselves in a potentially hostile environment.

Councils/funding bodies etc will not fund estates for people with learning disabilities to live together (obviously there are small houses with a small number of people with learning disabilities living together).

Locally they are converting a huge site into a sort of education facility for adults with LD's- it would be an ideal site for a community as well- with residential provision. That will not be allowed as that would not be 'inclusive' .

It is such a horrid story and it breaks my heart to think what happened to this poor man. He was totally defenceless and these 'people' took advantage of him just because they could.

I agree what you say Dame about inclusion - it often means making sure that those with LD mix with society whether its good for them or not under the guise that it is more cost effective

that's right. It is madness, almost wilful to not provide safe, excellent accommodation with all backup facilities on site for disabled people, which is what is done for older people. It's almost as if the word 'inclusive' has blinded them to the obvious. I think it needs a different type of thinking, I think it will eventually come, but it may still be a long while before that arrives.

I'm not against inclusion or care in the community but for this sort of policy to work there has to be regular, meaningful support for the people involved. Instead we seem to have "Here's your money, here's your keys, call us if there's a problem." Heartbreaking.

Precisely, precisely. :(

Firstly in answer to the Op I agree this is absolutely horrendous. I didn't realise it was so common however I did come across one young woman with LD whilst working for a London Council in the early to mid 90's where i had to fight tooth and nail to get her into supported housing after her mother died and she succeed to the tenancy. She had been 'befriended' by local teens who whilst her mum was alive had nothing to do with her. It was really hard to persaude her that they weren't acting in her best interests - regularly emptying her firdge so she had nothing to eat and then 'borrowing' money so she couldn't pay her rent or getting her to buy alcohol for them (they were under age), having all night parties which meant she was too tired to go to work wasn't something that friends did.

There are however some really good organisations out there though Supporting People funding cuts mean they have their work cut out helping those who need it. This organisation is a champion for Learning Disabled housing and support www.housingoptions.org.uk worth a look for any of you who work in this field or have family who might be vulnerable because of LDs

God how fucking horrible.

Sadly this is a reality that goes on everyday. I work with adults with learning disabilities and I have seen so much happen to them.

Also my dear brother, who passed away in Jan, was a victim for years. Very very sad and unfair... I feel so strongly about this and only wish people could be more aware and compassionate. :(

interesting about inclusion

I think it was 2shoes who really made me think recently, by saying that for her dd "inclusion" might not mean being stuck in a class of NT teens who no nothing about her life or what things feel like to her

inclusion might be allowing her to be integrated into HER peer group of teens who share some of her difficulties

I think there is a lot of black and white thinking around inclusion - partly because many middle class do-gooders just do know KNOW anything about disability and with the best will in the world see disabled people in the way that crap NGOs see the starving/refugees - as passive victims for whom "more must be done". There is no culture of LISTENING to disabled people and their families and trying to tailor provision to their actual needs

IMO

DS1 has been 'included' in mainstream and is now at special school.

Inclusion in mainstream for him was complete exclusion - he was utterly isolated from the rest of the school. One of my neighbours kids said he was 'pleased' when ds1 left the school because he always looked so sad there.

He's been much more included at special school - fully included within the school and he goes out all the time as well.

It is often totally misguided when it comes to Learning Disabilities.

I think what this highlights is that every case needs to be looked at individually. We cannot say that inclusion in mainstream society is good for everyone with LD/SN/Mental Health issues, anymore than we can institutionalise (sp?) everyone who is at all different from a percieved "norm".

The sad thing is, that article concludes by mention cuts to resources set up to help these people.

The world has gone f'in mad.

I studied prehistory and even there we have evidence for the sick and even incapcitated being cared for, so why can't we as "developed" society do it?

the only answer to this problem is money!! shedloads of it.....